Latest snapshot of criminal justice 'bleak', says Bar Council
The Bar Council have responded to today’s criminal justice system quarterly statistics from the Ministry of Justice.
Amanda Pinto QC, Chair of the Bar Council, said:
“This latest snapshot of our weary criminal justice system is bleak, but sadly, unsurprising. What might appear to be faceless statistics tell a human story of injustices which are being repeated over and over in every part of the country. The evidence shows a decrease in the number of people being charged despite violent crime growing. This translates to fewer criminals being dealt with by our underfunded and under-resourced system. Significant investment across the entire justice system is urgently needed – more police and prison places are not a panacea. This investment will only be worthwhile if the courts as a whole are given the resources to cope with the pressure of investigating and prosecuting the crime we know is there.
“We hope that the Treasury will pay close attention to the recommendations in our submission ahead of the upcoming Budget. Repeatedly said to be an important national asset, it is time our justice system was acknowledged and treated as just that.
